Found Deceased Greece - Jean Hanlon, 53, Scottish Citizen, Island of Crete, 9 March 2009

[Gardener1850]

AS mum-of-three Jean Hanlon sat in her Greek home and wrote in her diary on a sunny morning, she had no idea it would be her last entry.

Later that night, after texting a friend for help, the 53-year-old from Dumfries, Scotland, disappeared without a trace from the island of Crete where she was living.

Three days later, her body washed up on the shore of the harbour - she was bruised, covered in injuries and decomposed almost beyond recognition.

Despite evidence to suggest she'd been murdered - including diary entries referencing a man called Nikos, Greek authorities ruled her death had been an accident and closed the case.

Ten years on, the mystery surrounding Jean's death, and questions over her final movements, feature in Channel 5's latest documentary, Murdered in Paradise.

Her sons, Michael, Robert and David, believe their mum's death is more suspicious.

Michael told the Sun Online: "We aren't happy from what we have seen and what we know of her last movements that she simply just drowned in an accident."

Jean had moved to the island of Crete in 2005, working for a travel company for three consecutive summers before deciding to move there for good. In November 2008, she stayed for her first Christmas.

And while her sons were initially 'concerned' about Jean being alone in a foreign country, they were satisfied she was safe and well looked after thanks to her 'massive field of friends'.

"She went out there to get some 'me' time," son Robert says in the documentary, which airs on Monday at 10pm on Channel 5. "She was very happy and had a massive circle of both Greek and English friends."

But just a few months later, on March 11, 2009, everything came crashing down when the police phoned Robert and said his mum had been missing for more than two days.

"Straight away I got a feeling that something was wrong," David says, wiping away tears. "It wasn't like my mum to do that. It was horrible - and I felt too far away to help."

Read more: My mum was found dead in the sea without hair & eyes following a date

 

[Legally Bland]

AS mum-of-three Jean Hanlon sat in her Greek home and wrote in her diary on a sunny morning, she had no idea it would be her last entry.

Later that night, after texting a friend for help, the 53-year-old from Dumfries, Scotland, disappeared without a trace from the island of Crete where she was living.

Three days later, her body washed up on the shore of the harbour - she was bruised, covered in injuries and decomposed almost beyond recognition.

Despite evidence to suggest she'd been murdered - including diary entries referencing a man called Nikos, Greek authorities ruled her death had been an accident and closed the case.

Ten years on, the mystery surrounding Jean's death, and questions over her final movements, feature in Channel 5's latest documentary, Murdered in Paradise.

Her sons, Michael, Robert and David, believe their mum's death is more suspicious.

Michael told the Sun Online: "We aren't happy from what we have seen and what we know of her last movements that she simply just drowned in an accident."

Jean had moved to the island of Crete in 2005, working for a travel company for three consecutive summers before deciding to move there for good. In November 2008, she stayed for her first Christmas.

And while her sons were initially 'concerned' about Jean being alone in a foreign country, they were satisfied she was safe and well looked after thanks to her 'massive field of friends'.

"She went out there to get some 'me' time," son Robert says in the documentary, which airs on Monday at 10pm on Channel 5. "She was very happy and had a massive circle of both Greek and English friends."

But just a few months later, on March 11, 2009, everything came crashing down when the police phoned Robert and said his mum had been missing for more than two days.

"Straight away I got a feeling that something was wrong," David says, wiping away tears. "It wasn't like my mum to do that. It was horrible - and I felt too far away to help."

Read more: My mum was found dead in the sea without hair & eyes following a date

For anyone in the UK this documentary is on my5 catch up until 9 June 2020 (I haven't seen it yet).

My5

 

[Kasmeer]

Oh I watched this one a few weeks back, was surprised she didn't have a thread here already tbh, it's a huge unsolved mystery, very much sounds like murder (as presented in the programme, which may of course be biased), and the police haven't been the most helpful, although they did eventually start looking into it more fully. Very interesting programme!

 

[afitzy]

I am going to forward the link to this thread to the family and hopefully they will join us here to work through this case as it sounds like they need all the help they can mobilise on this case.

 

[Gardener1850]

Dumfries woman's Crete death 'treated as murder'

26 May 2010

The family of a Scottish woman found dead on the island of Crete have said police are treating the case as murder.

Jean Hanlon, 53, from Dumfries, disappeared on 9 March last year and her body was found four days later in the sea off Heraklion.

A local coroner initially ruled she died as a result of an accident.

However, her family said a Greek magistrate had now said the case was being treated by police as murder and two men had been arrested.

Her son Michael Porter, 25, who now lives in Mansfield, said police revealed his mother suffered a broken neck before she went into the water and also had minor injuries to her face and neck, consistent with a struggle.

Crete death 'treated as murder'

 

[Patrick Jane]

According to the victim's family, the Greek prosecutor has re-opened the case.

Michael Porter, one her three sons, described the re-opening of the case as "phenomenal".

Mr Porter said: "We are now delighted to announce that, following the airing on the UK Channel 5 documentary entitled 'Murdered in Paradise: The Killing of Jean Hanlon', there has been some new information that has emerged which is considered enough for the case to be reopened.

"These new findings are currently being investigated by the prosecutor."

Inquiry reopened into 2009 death in Crete

 

[Patrick Jane]

The investigation was shut down in 2018, however, her family have been campaigning to get the case to be fully reinvestigated and reviewed, both in the UK and in Greece.

The petition has reached more than 5,000 signatures.

Death of Jean Hanlon: Inquiry reopened after ten years

 

[Lyndaloo]

Best pal of Scots mum found dead in Crete fears he will be made suspect for SECOND time. Peter Verschueren says his life was turned upside down following Jean's mystery death and a new probe has been ordered following a TV documentary.
Best pal of Scots mum found dead in Crete fears he will be made suspect

 

[Officer Dibble]

Terrifying final text of murdered mum whose body was found without hair and eyes

 

[SurrealisticSlumbers]

:'( This was definitely foul play.

 

[whatawaster]

Jean Hanlon death: Greek authorities reopen 2009 inquiry

Reopened. I've been following this case for a good few years now and can't believe they have no answers. Hoping justice is served soon.

 

[whatawaster]

An investigation into the death of a Dumfries woman in Crete 12 years ago has been reopened for a third time after new evidence emerged.

The body of Jean Hanlon, 53, was pulled from the water in Heraklion in 2009.

A post-mortem examination concluded she drowned but information later emerged suggesting she suffered injuries consistent with a struggle.

Ms Hanlon's family welcomed the development and described it as as "potentially groundbreaking".

The case was last reopened in 2019 following a television documentary but it failed to secure a breakthrough.

And last year the family issued a fresh appeal on the Greek equivalent of Crimewatch .

Speaking about the latest bid to re-examine the case, her son Michael Porter told BBC Scotland: "This feels different."

Mr Porter was unable to go into detail about the development but said more people were involved this time and said the case file had been passed to a new department.

He added: "I think this is going to be a really good breakthrough and it could, possibly, be groundbreaking for Mum's case."

Mr Porter also vowed that the family and its "amazing lawyer" were determined to keep campaigning until they secured justice.

At the time Ms Hanlon died, the mother-of-three had been living in Crete for several years, working in bars and tavernas.

Her body was recovered from the sea off the Mediterranean island on 13 March, 2009, four days after she disappeared.

Mr Porter previously said the family believed that on the night of her death she was with a man in the port of Heraklion who had still not been traced.

 

[Beans]

Oh I remember this. There’s loads of British ex-pats in Greece and they have pretty tight little communities in the places they live and work. Greek authorities may well be reluctant to pursue murder cases because of the potential impact on tourism etc. It’s not uncommon for that to be an issue in popular holiday resorts and locations.

 

[StillDiggin]

Family of Scottish mum murdered on Greek island believe she knew killer

Jean Hanlon's body was discovered in March 2009 at Heraklion harbour in Crete, however, the incident remains unsolved after 14 years of investigating the murder.

www.glasgowlive.co.uk

Family of mum murdered on Greek holiday discover haunting 'clue' in her diary

Jean Hanlon was found dead at Heraklion harbour in Crete in 2009 but how she died remains a mystery some 14 years later - her family now say they think she knew her killer

www.mirror.co.uk

 

[dotr]

Family of Brit mum found dead in Greece vow to solve cold case after killer clue

Jean Hanlon, 53, from Scotland, was tragically found dead in Greece 15 years ago. Her family believe they are a step closer to the truth after her diary revealed potential clues

www.mirror.co.uk

• 20 Jan 2025
• ''The family of a British mum who was discovered dead in Greece are hoping to finally see justice after her diary revealed details about her alleged stalker.
  ''Haris, who is based in Athens, analysed the evidence and handed over a 29-page dossier to prosecutors after identifying a man with the help of a diary. The diary included details about her alleged stalker, where she described him as "possessive" and "jealous". Last week, a 54-year-old man was questioned by the police. He cannot be named at this time.''